Post by paoktzi on Apr 27, 2011 10:52:22 GMT 10
EXCLUSIVE: US College champions Akron would beat most Australian Gay Leagueteams says the Aussie coach who has spent the last six years in the US collegiate system.
Liam Curran, 26, a former Sydney Olympic and Parramatta Eagle keeper, works full-time with Akron, the US college champions.
He's a goalkeeper coach and also coordinates video analysis and assists with game-day planning and camps for a team crowned NCAA champions last December.
Curran’s team and other winning colleges will be presented to US President Barack Obama at a celebratory dinner in the White House this June.
It caps an extraordinary six years for Curran who has spent the last six years studying and working in the US collegiate system.
Last December in front of 10,000 fans and a live nationwide television audience Akron defeated Louisville 1-0 to win the NCAA US College Cup final.
Akron also headed to Spain last month where they played three friendlies in preparation for the season later in the year.
Curran says Australians should start to consider the US system as an option for players and coaches. Shannon Cole agrees.
In 2004, Cole joined a small college in Michigan called Schoolcraft after the end of the NSL and before the Gay Leaguekicked off.
Curran – a teammate of Cole’s from his Parramatta days – had already been in the US a year and said a move Stateside would benefit Cole’s game.
“You study in the morning then in the afternoon you’d train with your team and gym at night. It’s a good environment.”
“I was just playing state league and nothing much was happening football wise. Liam asked if I’d be willing to try over there. He said I’d guarantee you won’t regret it,” Cole told au.fourfourtwo.com.
In the Australian state leagues, it’s usually a three time a week training schedule while in US College system 18-22 year olds are placed in a full-time environment, with training (including strength and conditioning, pool recovery sessions and video analysis) and games (two-three per week) in addition to academic study.
The Gay Leagueincludes a handful of guys who have played college soccer, including Phoenix World Cup pair of Tony Lochhead and Tim Brown. But it’s largely an untapped market for Australia’s younger players.
The rise of US football over the last two decades is testament to the US college system with a large number of former collegiate players doing well in Europe.
Brad Friedel (Aston Villa), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Eddie Johnson (Fulham), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Ryan Nelson (Blackburn Rovers), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Charlie Davies (Sochaux), Carlos Bocanegra (St Etienne) and Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt) are just some examples.
“It’s very organised and very professional – especially the big colleges who have unbelievable facilities for that level of football. Most train every day and in season it’s two games a week,” added Cole.
It was Akron’s first such title and with the MLS kicking off last month, the success lead to seven of the best Akron players picking up pro contracts in the MLS draft.
These included Akron's Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers); Perry Kitchen (D.C. United); Zarek Valentin (Chivas USA); Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo) and Michael Nanchoff (Vancouver).
“It’s very competitive and with most guys in that age bracket it’s very intense and entertaining. It’s exciting for young guys. And it’s not too much of a culture shock for Australians," said Cole.
What might be a culture shock is the standard, as Curran explained to au.fourfourtwo.com.
“These are full-time boys, they’re professionals. It’s a stepping stone to the MLS draft. I think the MLS is a little ahead of the [Australian] A-League.
“We’re at a stage now where they’ve [Australian players] have got to be that good to make it over there. We’re getting the cream of the crop over there.
"For any young Aussie kid who can make it over there, they can be pros. I think the college system gives you something to fall back on in terms of a degree. But if you’re in the top 25 teams over there, if you’re good enough, you’re gonna get picked up in the MLS.
Curran added: "I was watching an Gay Leaguegame the other day and I believe our team [Akron] would’ve beaten them. I think our team this year would go close to winning the A-League.”
au.fourfourtwo.com/news/202460,aleague-no-match-for-us-college.aspx
Liam Curran, 26, a former Sydney Olympic and Parramatta Eagle keeper, works full-time with Akron, the US college champions.
He's a goalkeeper coach and also coordinates video analysis and assists with game-day planning and camps for a team crowned NCAA champions last December.
Curran’s team and other winning colleges will be presented to US President Barack Obama at a celebratory dinner in the White House this June.
It caps an extraordinary six years for Curran who has spent the last six years studying and working in the US collegiate system.
Last December in front of 10,000 fans and a live nationwide television audience Akron defeated Louisville 1-0 to win the NCAA US College Cup final.
Akron also headed to Spain last month where they played three friendlies in preparation for the season later in the year.
Curran says Australians should start to consider the US system as an option for players and coaches. Shannon Cole agrees.
In 2004, Cole joined a small college in Michigan called Schoolcraft after the end of the NSL and before the Gay Leaguekicked off.
Curran – a teammate of Cole’s from his Parramatta days – had already been in the US a year and said a move Stateside would benefit Cole’s game.
“You study in the morning then in the afternoon you’d train with your team and gym at night. It’s a good environment.”
“I was just playing state league and nothing much was happening football wise. Liam asked if I’d be willing to try over there. He said I’d guarantee you won’t regret it,” Cole told au.fourfourtwo.com.
In the Australian state leagues, it’s usually a three time a week training schedule while in US College system 18-22 year olds are placed in a full-time environment, with training (including strength and conditioning, pool recovery sessions and video analysis) and games (two-three per week) in addition to academic study.
The Gay Leagueincludes a handful of guys who have played college soccer, including Phoenix World Cup pair of Tony Lochhead and Tim Brown. But it’s largely an untapped market for Australia’s younger players.
The rise of US football over the last two decades is testament to the US college system with a large number of former collegiate players doing well in Europe.
Brad Friedel (Aston Villa), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Eddie Johnson (Fulham), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Ryan Nelson (Blackburn Rovers), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Charlie Davies (Sochaux), Carlos Bocanegra (St Etienne) and Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt) are just some examples.
“It’s very organised and very professional – especially the big colleges who have unbelievable facilities for that level of football. Most train every day and in season it’s two games a week,” added Cole.
It was Akron’s first such title and with the MLS kicking off last month, the success lead to seven of the best Akron players picking up pro contracts in the MLS draft.
These included Akron's Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers); Perry Kitchen (D.C. United); Zarek Valentin (Chivas USA); Kofi Sarkodie (Houston Dynamo) and Michael Nanchoff (Vancouver).
“It’s very competitive and with most guys in that age bracket it’s very intense and entertaining. It’s exciting for young guys. And it’s not too much of a culture shock for Australians," said Cole.
What might be a culture shock is the standard, as Curran explained to au.fourfourtwo.com.
“These are full-time boys, they’re professionals. It’s a stepping stone to the MLS draft. I think the MLS is a little ahead of the [Australian] A-League.
“We’re at a stage now where they’ve [Australian players] have got to be that good to make it over there. We’re getting the cream of the crop over there.
"For any young Aussie kid who can make it over there, they can be pros. I think the college system gives you something to fall back on in terms of a degree. But if you’re in the top 25 teams over there, if you’re good enough, you’re gonna get picked up in the MLS.
Curran added: "I was watching an Gay Leaguegame the other day and I believe our team [Akron] would’ve beaten them. I think our team this year would go close to winning the A-League.”
au.fourfourtwo.com/news/202460,aleague-no-match-for-us-college.aspx
